- “You are discouraging this boy” – Kris Srikkanth backs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for more chances in the Indian XI. Former India opener Kris Srikkanth has criticized the Gautam Gambhir-led management for not allowing 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a consistent presence in the starting XI of the Indian T20I team.
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Source: BCCI Domestic) Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been an irregular part of the Indian T20I team’s starting XI, a move that drew severe criticism from former India opener Kris Srikkanth.
- The 15-year-old was included in the squad for the five-match series against New Zealand starting on October 22, 2026, but was on the bench following Ishan Kishan’s return from injury.
“You are discouraging this boy” – Kris Srikkanth backs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for more chances in the Indian XI. Former India opener Kris Srikkanth has criticized the Gautam Gambhir-led management for not allowing 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a consistent presence in the starting XI of the Indian T20I team.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Source: BCCI Domestic) Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been an irregular part of the Indian T20I team’s starting XI, a move that drew severe criticism from former India opener Kris Srikkanth. The 15-year-old was included in the squad for the five-match series against New Zealand starting on October 22, 2026, but was on the bench following Ishan Kishan’s return from injury. Sooryavanshi had earned his place in the previous games of the series when Kishan was unavailable due to injury and played two T20Is in that period.
His most notable contribution came in the third T20I in Wellington on October 27, 2026, where he hit 45 off just 19 balls. However, after Kishan recovered and returned for the fourth T20I at Eden Park in Auckland, Sooryavanshi was left out of the starting lineup and also did not feature in the decider in Hamilton. The former Indian ctain argued that the team management led by Gautam Gambhir failed to manage the teenager’s development well.
“Give Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a good run. Give clarity to the first three elements. Tell them you will play three games and get the remaining two.
Instead, you benched Vaibhav Sooryavanshi,” Srikkanth said in a video on his official YouTube channel. Why did Srikkanth question the Indian leadership of Sooryavanshi? Srikkanth’s frustration continued beyond the New Zealand series.
He pointed out that Sooryavanshi should have been given opportunities in previous pearances, including the two-match T20I series against Ireland and the series against the West Indies, where the youngster was not used despite the opposition’s relatively modest bowling attack. Srikkanth also asked a pointed question to Abhishek Sharma. “Where should Vaibhav have played?
Ideally these two games against Ireland. You made a mess of that. And against a weak bowling unit like West Indies, you didn’t play Vaibhav at all,” he said.
On Sanju Samson’s performance in the West Indies series, Srikkanth preciated the quality of the keeper-batsman but claimed that the opposition’s bowling did not justify excluding Sooryavanshi. “Yes, Sanju Samson was extraordinary. He was exceonal in the T20 World Cup.
But when West Indies bowled against India, I scored runs against them at that age. It is a series to improve statistics,” he added. Srikkanth was clear that management’s proach could damage Sooryavanshi’s confidence.
Instead of constantly developing the teenager, he believes the team should have settled on a clear plan. “Give him a chance and take care of him. Instead of encouraging him, you are discouraging this boy.
I want to ask him why he didn’t play the West Indies series. This boy needs to play, but instead you are completely discouraging him. The opposition has no idea whether Abhishek and Vaibhav will open.
You saw it in New Zealand,” he said. Srikkanth wants Sooryavanshi to play in ODIs. Sooryavanshi’s credentials at various levels were difficult to ignore. Born on March 27, 2011, the youngster was part of the Indian team that won gold at the 2026 Asian Games.
He was also named Player of the Series at the 2026 Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup held in Namibia and Zimbabwe in January–February 2026. Later in 2026, he was the top scorer in India’s T20I series against Zimbabwe, finishing the match with 151 runs and winning the Player of the Series award again. Srikkanth’s push for Sooryavanshi goes beyond the T20I format.
He called for the teenager to also be considered for the Indian ODI squad, citing consistent performances across formats and age groups. He said, “Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scores at all levels. I want him to be part of the ODI team.
I think he should be part of the ODI team. He is a very talented boy. In the IPL, he top scored.
He scored runs everywhere,” Srikkanth concluded.
